Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1887-06-30
NO. 2O48
A STORY IN REAL LIFE.
How a Young Colored Lad Be-
came Famous.

What reads like a romance is the
following true story in which residents
of Cumberland county are interested
1T happened thus: A young man by
the name of Sheppard, of Greenwich,
enlisted in the war of the Rebellion
and went South to fight for his coun-
try. While there he became init
mately acquainted with young
mulatto boy of only eleven years of
age. So attached to Mr.. Sheppard did
the boy become that he refused to
stay away from him an hour, and the
end of the war found the lad still
sticking to his self-made friend.
When it came time for his honor
able discharge Mr. Sheppard offered
the boy his hand to bid him adieu.
The boy refused the hand and said he
was going home with Mr.. Sheppard.
The gentleman endeavored to show
him that he was but poor man, and
unable to care for him when he
reached the little house in far-off
South Jersey. But the boy was not
to be deferred in his purpose, and de-
clared he would not leave him for a
moment.
Finally Mr.. Sheppard consented and
allowed him to accompany him on the
homew ard journey, thinking that he
could shake him off at Washington.
The youngster was too sharp for him,
however and patiently sat on Mr..
Sheppard's trunk until the change of
cars was made, and when the gentle
man finally reached his Quaker home
at Greenwich, he was still accompanied
by his plucky and persevering inuatto
friend. Mr.. Sheppard's folks were not
particularly pleased with the addition
to the family, but as they could not
rid themselves of him they made the
best of the situation.
In Greenwich at that time there was
small blacksmith shop, run by the
firm of Sheppard & Fithian. They,
seeing the boy was apt and willing,
offered him his board and clothing if
he would do chores about the shop
and run errands. The wife of one of
the firm, became quite attached to the
little Southerner and taught him until
he had fair education. Then the
firm moved to Camden. and the boy,
displaying a mechanical genius of con-
siderable worth, was learned the trade.
His fine workmanship recommended
him to the great machine shops of
Flanders. of Philadelphia, and he then
became an employee of that establish
ment. His fine work there soon made
him recognized, and he was made a
boss over gang of men who were
sent all over the country boring out
cylinders. But the youth was destined
to make himself famous, and while at
work his inventive brain was cogitat-
ing over the subject of automatic sig
nails for railroads and self acting
switches, until at last he hit upon the
proper method and invented one OF
the best things that has ever been
patented-an arrangement so that one
man can work any number of switches
and signals, without trouble.
To-day that same person, now a
man in years and dignity, is at the
head of large company in the West,
which he formed for the manufacture
of the wonderful invention of the
mulatto inventor, who is now
salaried officer of the company at
salary of $1,000. Perhaps some of our
older readers of Greenwich, will re-
member the little fellow as he first
came among them from his home in
the South, and to-day they can think
of him as man that is looked up to
and respected, and all made by his
own honest endeavor and persever-
ance, which was characteristic of him
even in the time when he was forbid
den the privilege of accompanying his
friend Sheppard, to his Greenwich
home at the closing of the war.